A World Cup Tournament is being played this year — at Emory.
The second annual International Festival and World Cup Tournament is Friday, April 17, from 6-9 p.m. at McDonough Field. Rain location is the Woodruff P.E. Center.
The Office of International Student Life, Play Emory, Nourish International, College Storage, College Council and Late Night Emory are inviting the entire Emory community to celebrate Emory's international diversity through food, music and friendly soccer competition.
The event incorporates soccer matches on McDonough Field "because soccer is an extremely popular sport at Emory and internationally, and brings diverse groups of people together," says Natalie Cruz, director of international student life.
The tournament will feature 24 four-person co-ed teams in single-elimination. Games will be 10 minutes each in a condensed field set-up and prizes will be awarded to tournament winners.
There will also be music and dance performances from Emory groups, and tables representing many of the countries in the World Cup, Emory students' countries, and international and cultural student organizations. The event will feature international food, free giveaways, and activities throughout the festival and tournament.
Emory has formed a partnership this year with local non-profit Soccer In the Streets, which will have a table at this year's event. Teams, student groups, and attendees are encouraged to donate any unused soccer or athletic equipment and apparel to their program, including shorts, shirts, soccer socks, soccer balls, cleats, shoes, shin guards and more.
Additional sponsors are International Student and Scholar Services, Goizueta Business School, Emory Dining, Residence Life, Rollins School of Public Health, Undergraduate Admissions and Laney Graduate School.
"The first ever International Festival and Emory World Cup was a great success in 2014, with more than 500 attendees and 32 soccer teams participating," says Cruz. "Nigeria won the World Cup tournament [at Emory]. We also had performances from Zuri dance group, Emory Fitness, Emory Capoeira Club, and Dale dance group."
Cruz listed the following groups that participated last year, and many of these same groups will participate again this year:
- Korean Emory Graduate Students
- Pakistani Student Association
- Filipino Student Association
- Chinese Student Union
- German Studies Department
- Emory Cantonese Association
- Xi Kappa Fraternity, Inc.
- Emory Students for Israel
- Latino Students Organization
- Association for Caribbean Educators and Students
- African Student Association
- Goizueta International Network
- Emory Brazil
- Saudi Student Association
- Emory Italian Club
- Emory Nourish International
- Arab Cultural Association
- Global China Connection
- Korean Undergraduate Student Association
- Rollins International Student Association
- Malawi students
- Fulbright Association
- Delta Phi Lambda
- Graduate Sustainability Group
- Soccer in the Streets
- SOS Children's Villages.